Let's talk about how going without a bra can actually help tone your breasts.
When you go braless, your chest muscles have to work a bit harder to support your breasts. This extra effort can help strengthen the underlying muscles over time, potentially leading to improved tone and lift.
Think of it like a workout for your chest—by allowing your breasts to move naturally, you're engaging the muscles in your chest and shoulders, which can help keep everything firm and perky.
In 2013, a 15-year study challenged the common belief that bras prevent breast sagging. The study, conducted by professor Jean-Denis Rouillon, MD, PhD, of Besançon Regional University Hospital Center, indicated that not wearing a bra could potentially reduce sagging. Professor Rouillon suggested that, medically, physiologically, and anatomically, breasts receive no benefits from being denied gravity. The study proposed that the support of a bra might weaken the tissue surrounding the breasts, potentially leading to sagging over time.
However, a decade later, Jené Luciani Sena, bestselling author of The Bra Book, is calling the study “scientific clickbait.”
“That study looked at a relatively small sampling of women and a short amount of time: It did not look at factors like whether one woman had breastfed and been pregnant,” she says. “While we have muscles beneath our breasts, our breasts themselves contain no muscles, therefore working out or resting them literally does nothing.”
Moreover, a study in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science found that wearing a sports bra during exercise can help reduce breast pain and discomfort.
While more research is needed to fully understand the effects of bras on breast health, these studies shed valuable light on the potential impact of bra wear on our bodies.